This grant will support the 5th in a series of annual translational conferences at UC Berkeley, to support the NEI-funded K12 training program for clinician scientists. The themes for these conferences represent cutting edge, clinically applicable research, and change annually. The theme for the 2010 conference is innovative solutions involving optical manipulations or targeting optical problems. The following topics will be covered: 1) optical solutions to presbyopia, an age-related loss in ones ability to focus (accommodate) on nearby objects, 2) surgical solutions to optical problems of the eye, including presbyopia, 3) novel optical treatments for ocular diseases including myopia (near-sightedness) and keratoconus, and 4) technological advances in 3D simulations of the natural environment and their applications. The final session of the conference will be a panel discussion, involving all speakers, who will be challenged to think into the future. Targeted speakers include international leaders in their respective research fields, with a poster session providing opportunity for K12 trainees to show case their research. Trainees will also be involved as chairs, speakers and discussants of the paper sessions. In addition to K12 trainees, the conference targets local scientists, clinicians, graduate students and members from industry R&D. Travel grants will be offered to encourage involvement of trainees from interstate K12 programs and interested minority undergraduate students from the SETT program. The conference will serve as forum for sharing ideas, and establishing new collaborations, including industry links. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This grant will support the 5th in a series of annual translational conferences at UC Berkeley covering innovative solutions involving optical manipulations or targeting optical problems. The following topics will be covered: 1) optical solutions to presbyopia, an age-related loss in ones ability to focus (accommodate) on nearby objects, 2) surgical solutions to optical problems of the eye, including presbyopia, 3) novel optical treatments for ocular diseases including myopia (near-sightedness) and keratoconus, and 4) technological advances in 3D simulations of the natural environment and their applications.